OPFS replied to the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee inquiry into social security and in-work poverty. The Committee’s focus is on the potential impact of Universal Credit on in-work poverty and indications of increasing needs in working households.

OPFS recognises that for many families headed by a single parent, maintaining a healthy diet is a daily financial challenge, particularly in the context of punitive UK welfare reform. There is strong evidence of the impact of diet in children’s early years.

Glasgow City Council – Colleges and Lifelong Learning Policy Commission: Call for Evidence September 2016. OPFS submission which looks at the barriers to single parents participation in college learning, and recommendations on possible solutions to tackle these barriers.

The consultation on the Scottish Government’s proposals for a Child Poverty Bill includes: Enshrining in legislation our ambition to eradicate child poverty Reinstating statutory income-based targets to reduce the number of children living in poverty Placing a duty on Scottish Ministers to …

We have submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee on the Future Delivery of Social Security in Scotland, indicating that we want to see newly devolved social security powers for Scotland reflect SCoWR principles.

We have submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Welfare Reform Committee inquiry on women and welfare reform, highlighting that the fear and threat of sanctions is sometimes forcing mothers into making decisions they would not choose, as parents, to make in the best interests of their children.

Our submission to the Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry into Benefit Sanctions focuses on conditionality and the revised benefits sanction regime, which is having a huge impact on single parents and their children.